THE HUNGRY WOLF.

There
was once a wolf, and he got very hungry, and so he went to have a look
to see what he could find for dinner. After a bit he saw a ram feedingin
a meadow, so he went up to him and said: “Mr. Ram, Mr. Ram, I'm
going to eat you!” But the ram answered: “Who are you, I
should like to know, that you mean to eat me?”

“I'm
a wolf, and I'm looking for a good dinner,” said the wolf.
“What sort of a wolf do you fancy you are?” answered theram,
“you're not, you're a dog!” “No, I'm not a
dog,” said he, “I'm a wolf.” “Well then,”
answered the ram, “if you're a wolf, stand at the bottom of the
hill and open your jaws wide. Then I'll run down the hill and jump
straight into your mouth.” “All right,” said the wolf.

So
he stood at the bottom of the hill and opened his mouth wide, while the
ram climbed to the top of the hill. Then he ran down the hill very
fast, and hit the wolf with his horns as hard as he could.

The
wolf rolled over, knocked senseless with the blow, while the ram ran
off home. And there lay the wolf, till at last he came to himself
again, with all his bones aching.

“Well,
what a fool I must have been!” thought he. “Who ever saw a
ram jump into one's mouth of his own free will?”

Then he went on further, just as hungry as ever, and after a bit he saw a horse walking in a meadow nibbling the grass.

So
he went up to him and said: “Mr. Horse, Mr. Horse, I'm going to
eat you!” But the horse answered: “Who are you, I should
like to know,that
you mean to eat me?” “I'm a wolf!” “You think
again,” answered the horse, “You're only a dog!”
“No, I'm not a dog,” said he, “I'm a wolf.”
“Oh, if you are sure you're a wolf, it's all right. Only I'm not
very fat yet, so you'd better begin on my tail, and meanwhile I'll be
munching some more grass and get a little fuller.”

So
the wolf went up to him from behind, and was just going to get to work
on his tail, when the horse let out at him as hard as he could! And the
wolf rolled over, while the horse ran off.

And
there sat the wolf, and he thought: “Well, wasn't I a fool!
wasn't I a noodle! Who ever heard of anyone starting to eat a horse by
the tail?”

And
so he wandered on further, when after a bit he saw a pig coming towards
him, so when he got to him he said: “Mr. Pig, Mr. Pig, I'm going
to eat you!” But the pig answered: “Who are you, I should
like to know, thatyou
mean to eat me?” “I'm a wolf.” “You're a queer
sort of wolf,” answered the pig, “you're only a dog!”
“No, I'm not a dog,” said he, “I'm a wolf!”
“Oh, that's all right then,” answered the pig, “you
just sit down on my back. I'll give you a ride, and then you can eat
me.”

So the wolf sat down on the pig's back, when lo and behold! the pig carried him straight into the village.

And all the dogs ran out, made a dash for the wolf, and began to tease him.

And they teased him so much, it was all he could do to tear himself away and run off back into the forest.